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Power of Information Taskforce – Homework for the OS

by Ed ParsonsData Policy, Ordnance Survey February 2, 200910 Comments

The influential Power of Information task force, the group working within the Cabinet Office to suggest better ways of using Government Information has published their interim report back to government in a “wiki-like” form to allow comments from the community before final publication. As any reader of this blog will expect, there is considerable discussion of the potential value and problems associated with access …

Government forced to more openness

by Ed ParsonsData Policy, Thoughts January 21, 2009One Comment

A brilliant result for mySociety and all who support openness in government, I guess that includes President Obama. “And those of us who manage the public’s dollars will be held to account – to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day – because only then can we restore …

History

by Ed ParsonsThoughts January 20, 2009Comments are Disabled

A “get well soon” video from Microsoft?

by Ed ParsonsFun !! January 16, 2009Comments are Disabled

I thought this must be a joke, or pehaps a clever “Get Well Soon” card for Steve Jobs, you know don’t worry iLife is safe for the next six months because your competition is Microsoft Songsmith. I still think maybe this is an elaborate joke, along the lines of the Microsoft Shoe commercial, just to demostrate the potential of …

My favourite Carol Bartz story

by Ed ParsonsThoughts January 14, 20092 Comments

I really enjoyed my time at Autodesk and was sad to leave a great company when I left for my adventure at Ordnance Survey. Autodesk was an exciting place to work, very focused on design, well managed and lead by Carol Bartz. Her vision and leadership was a key part to the success of Autodesk, …

Palm, Google Earth and storytelling..

by Ed ParsonsGoogle Earth, Mobile January 12, 2009Comments are Disabled

I often talk about the use of Google Earth for storytelling, illustrating a story with its geographical context displayed interactively is very powerful, to see what I mean just watch the first few minutes of the launch event for the new Palm Pre at last weeks CES show. BTW Its great to see Palm that seem to be …

Geo-tagging for the masses

by Ed ParsonsThoughts January 8, 20097 Comments

Just got back from doing a plenary presentation at ESRI UK’s kick-off meeting, wow has that organisation grown some.. came back on the No. 285 bus – I do love these local meetings 🙂 The topic of my presentation was the increasingly mainstream appeal of geospatial technology, not so much the geoweb/neogeography of the tech …

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Gaza OpenStreetMap help needed

by Ed ParsonsThoughts January 5, 20097 Comments

Your help is needed.. if you have any local knowledge of Gaza please respond to Mikel’s request none of the online sites have adequate mapping and given the urgent nature of the situation this needs to be addressed as quickly as possible. Written and submitted from home, using my home 802.11 network

Police ‘encouraged’ to hack more

by Ed ParsonsThoughts January 5, 2009One Comment

Having last night watched the excellent “The Lives of Others” DVD last night, a film about the activities of the Stasi in East Germany, the suggestion that the Police should hack more is more than a little scary. So we can expect the police to be running around installing key-loggers and trojans to any one who might …

Merry Christmas !

by Ed ParsonsThoughts December 24, 2008Comments are Disabled

From the cool photography of Wai Fong Fung, Christmas Greetings from a Galaxy far far away… Written and submitted from home, using my home 802.11 network.. with my feet up actually.